Pocket Rockets. First assessment saw fifteen lightweights take on the erg, two extras with medical exemptions and of course Emily Craig and Maddie Arlett with Olympic exemption. For first trials, lightweight women have to be below 61.5kg on the day of racing. Of these fifteen women to race, five were senior, ten were U23 and of those ten, six were U20 meaning erg cut offs are less strict to allow for experience. The senior cut off is 7:20 and the U23 cut off is 7:30. Only ten women managed to progress to the Sunday water time trial, but this didn’t mean it was without exciting racing.
The overall leader on both the erg and the water was Imogen Grant. Fresh from Tokyo, Imogen had Olympic exemption this year, along with her other olympic crew mates. However, she decided to race “as a good marker early in the season”. This proved a positive move and has put her in a solid position for selection at the top of the pack.
Next quickest on the erg was Laura Macro, who rows for Dart Totnes ARC but trains with Dan Harris in Bath where she went to university. Interestingly, on the water she was beaten by Olivia Bates from Nottinghamshire County RC. Laura had beaten Olivia at the Metropolitan Regatta earlier this year, so this change really shows how predictions aren’t always reliable.
Lily Young from Edinburgh University BC put in a sterling performance as the quickest U20 and U23 on the erg, all whilst hitting a personal best. However, Sunday she came in at sixth on the water. This is young talent and definitely one to watch with a solid summer of racing behind her at Henley Women’s Regatta and BUCs as a heavyweight.
Olivia Bates came in at fourth on the erg being the second quickest U23 however managing to secure a personal best. Olivia stormed down the 5km course and came in second, twenty seconds behind Imogen. Over this summer, Olivia won the Championship Lightweight Single category at both BUCS and Henley Women’s regatta. August saw her going out to Poland for the U23 European Championships and bringing back silver.
Lauren Maddison for Reading University BC came in sixth on the erg and fifth on the water, this puts her as third quickest U23 on both the erg and the water. Again a solid performance this summer winning the Championship Lightweight Double at Henley Women’s Regatta.
Annabelle Ruinet from Marlow RC came in eleventh on the erg, as an U20 athlete, although she didn’t make the erg cut off by 0.9 of a second she was allowed to progress, she flew down the course on Sunday. She stole fourth position on the water, which put her as the quickest U20 and the second quickest U23. Annabelle raced the 2021 summer season as a junior athlete, racing in the A final at National Schools’ Regatta in a quad. This quad raced through the season at the Metropolitan Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. Again, great to see such promising talent at such a young age coming through.
From this I would say that the 2021/22 trials season will keep us all on the edge of our seats as these women jostle for position in the top boats and ultimately the chance to represent Great Britain. The next lot of assessments will be interesting to see how positions move within the group. Maybe for U23 a lightweight double will be selected from Lily, Annabelle and Olivia? Maybe a senior lightweight quad with Laura, Imogen, Emily and Maddie? Regardless, these women have put in hard work and it really showed over the weekend.
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